Norm Goldman, Publisher & Editor of Bookpleasures.com Interviews Nina Ansary Author of Jewels of Allah: The Untold Story of Women in Iran

Bookpleasures.com
welcomes as our guest today, Nina Ansary author of Jewels of
Allah: The Untold Story of Women in Iran.

Born in Tehran, Iran,
Nina Ansary left her country of birth at the onset of the 1979
Islamic Revolution and has not returned since.

Growing up in New York
City, she received her B.A. in Sociology from Barnard College and her
M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies from Columbia University. In 2013,
Nina received her PhD in History from Columbia University.

Norm: Good day Nina and
thanks for participating in our interview

Please tell our readers
a little bit about your personal and professional background.

Nina: I was born in Iran
and left at the cusp of the 1979 Islamic revolution and have not
returned since. My professional background has been predominantly
focused on humanitarian causes and philanthropic endeavors.

Norm: What motivated
you to write Jewels of Allah: The Untold Story of Women in
Iran? What purpose do you believe your book serves and what
matters to you about the book?

Nina: Jewels of Allah
is based on my doctoral thesis written in 2013 for Columbia
University. I have re-written the manuscript as a mainstream
narrative in order to highlight women’s ongoing activism in Iran to
a broader audience. The book is also a tribute to the myriad of
courageous women in Iran’s past and present, who despite the
repercussions continue to push back against patriarchal boundaries.
The reality is that the plight of women in Iran has by and large
received insufficient coverage. Their ongoing struggle is one that
needs to be brought to the attention of the international community
at large.

Norm: What kind of
research did you do to write this book and how has the feedback been
so far?

Nina: The main body of my
research stems from my years in academia. The narrative has
additionally been shaped by comments from followers on social media,
as well as a plethora of primary sources directly obtained from Iran.
I am most grateful to so many individuals who have generously offered
their support and positive feedback throughout this process.

Norm: In your book you
state that it is a misconception to believe that during the Khomeini
era, women were totally oppressed. Would you care to elaborate as to
why is this a misconception?

Nina: What you inquire is
complex and in many ways reflective of the convoluted social,
political and historical landscape of Iran. Therefore, it cannot be
accurately conveyed in a few simple sentences. That being said, it
centers on the general misconception among westerners that women in
Iran became symbolically and literally restrained behind the veil in
the aftermath of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Norm: How much of a
women's movement is there in modern day Iran today and if there is,
why have we not heard more about it?

Nina: There is full blown
and vibrant women’s movement in Iran, which is counter intuitive
given the patriarchal post-revolutionary climate. The fact that this
movement remains largely under the radar is because mainstream media
tends to paint a very one dimensional portrait of Iran, choosing
instead to focus more on the leaders of the current regime, and less
on people living lives within the walls of a restrictive atmosphere.

In recent years, however,
social media has proven to be an essential and powerful tool in
amplifying the lives and voices of the general population at large,
specifically the trials and tribulations of a nation who continues to
pay a high price through no fault of their own.

Norm: How effective has
been the one million signatures for the repeal of discriminatory laws
against women launched in 2006?

Nina: The campaign made
small yet significant strides as it gathered support across the
country, as women from all walks of life became involved in raising
awareness of the need for more equitable policies. In 2008, the
campaign successfully pressured parliament to amend the inheritance
laws, giving women the right to inherit their husband’s property.

Parliament also prevented
the passage of Articles 23 and 25 of the Family Protection bill
proposed by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (2005 – 2013) in 2007,
which would have enabled a man to take additional wives without their
first wives consent. Women were also granted equal blood money in
accidents covered by insurance companies. These were small yet
significant steps in demonstrating that their continued activism is
an essential ingredient in the quest for equality.

Norm: Does the
definition of “human rights” differ in Iran (per the government
and/or per the people), and if so, do you believe that this has
changed throughout the years?

Nina: The current regime
in Iran has a long way to go in order to rectify their human rights
record. The everyday freedoms that we often times take for granted
living in more progressive nations is a luxury that is unfortunately
not afforded to the citizens of Iran––citizens who are not
reflective of the current ruling body. What is even more troubling,
is the recent high number of executions, in addition to imprisonment
of activists and journalists for the slightest deviation.

Norm: What would you
suggest to Iranians who want to become active for human rights?

Nina: There are many
courageous activists in Iran today who pay a high price for their
activism. What is most important is the art of resistance and an
ongoing activism demonstrating resilience in the face of adversity.
On another note, Iranians living abroad have been and can continue to
be helpful in bringing much needed awareness to the ongoing human
rights trespasses undertaken by the current regime.

Norm: Which reforms
would you like to see implemented in Iran concerning women's rights
if the motivation of the government existed?

Nina: I would like for all
the gender discriminatory policies to be reversed and for women to be
able to decide their fate as well as secure their innate right to
freedom and equality.

Nina: The U.S. and UK Book
tour, hopefully followed by the second instalment to Jewels of Allah.

Norm: As this interview
draws to a close what one question would you have liked me to ask
you? Please share your answer.

Nina: Do you still feel a
deep-seated connection to Iran despite not having been back in 35
years?

Answer? I definitely have
a strong and in many ways an emotional connection to Iran as do many
Iranians currently living in exile. I feel that this sentiment is
poignantly captured by Azar Nafisi, critically acclaimed author of
Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books who has been living
in exile in the U.S. since 1997. She said “I left Iran but Iran did
not leave me.”

Norm:
Thanks once again and good luck with all of your future endeavors.